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Chapter 4: The ALM Thesis | 65
Headings
If the completed thesis can be readily reduced to an outline, it is probably well organized. A question then arises
concerning the use of this outline to form headings. To what extent, if any, should the thesis contain major and
minor headings to guide the reader? The answer will vary with the different fields, specific research problems,
and the investigator’s inclination.
The ALM thesis is divided into chapters. The word “ Chapter” and its number are centered and typed one double
space from the top margin. The chapter title is also centered and placed, with one double space, directly under
the word “Chapter” and its number. A new chapter always begins on a new page. If the chapter title is more than
one line long, it should be double-spaced. After the chapter title, two double spaces (quadruple space) precede
the text. The chapter title uses upper-case and lower-case letters, with no underlining or boldface, as in the
example below.
(1 double space from top margin, or 1½" total)
Chapter II
William Shakespeare’s Early Works
William Shakespeare’s early works are his comedies. In these plays, he demonstrates a keen awareness of . . .
In some theses the chapters are subdivided, and each subdivision is marked with its own heading. The headings
for the major subdivisions, equivalents so to speak of the capital-letter divisions of an outline, are called a-heads;
subsections of these rubrics (equivalent to the Arabic-numeral divisions of an outline) are called b-heads; and
subsections of these (equivalent to the lower-case-letter divisions of an outline) are called c-heads:
(1) The a-heads are centered using upper-case and lower-case, with the usual double spacing after
the heading.
(2) The b-heads, also upper-case and lower-case with double spacing below, appear flush to the left
margin.
(3) If still more subordinate headings are included, the c-heads are run-on heads, beginning a
paragraph. They appear in lower-case, except for the first letter, and they are followed by a
period. The c-heads must be underlined or italicized in order to separate them from the rest of the
paragraph. C-heads are not indented.
When beginning a new section within a chapter, quadruple space (i.e., double space twice) before the a-head
or the b-head. There is no extra spacing before the c-head, which consists simply of a few words at the start
of a paragraph, underlined or italicized, and followed by a period. Please note that these headings are not
interchangeable units; they must be used in sequence: first a-heads; then, if necessary, b-heads; and finally,
c-heads, each group of which represents a subdivision of a preceding rubric. The text should be double-spaced
throughout.
A Guide to the ALM Thesis